Comments by Hikmat Hajiyev, Spokesperson of the MFA on the situation in the frontline and killing and wounding of Azerbaijani civilians at the result of attacks of the armed forces of Armenia

On July 4, at the result of targeted and deliberate attacking of civilians and civilian objects of the Alkhanli village of Fizuli region of Azerbaijan by armed forces of Armenia with 82 and 120 mm mortars and heavy grenade launchers Guliyeva Sahiba (born in 1967) and her 2 years old granddaughter Guliyeva Zahra were killed. Another civilian Guliyeva Sarvinaz (born in 1965) was wounded and civilian objects sustained damages. We convey our heartfelt condolences to the families and relatives of victims and wish speedy recovery to wounded.

As a result of these provocations of armed forces of Armenia, killing of elderly woman and her 2 years old granddaughter and wounding of another civilian and damaging of civilian objects is nothing other than the act of vandalism and once again proves the terrorist nature of the state of Armenia.

Armenia has been conducting systematic, deliberate and targeted attacks on civilian population encompassing inter alia women, children and elderly residing in the densely populated areas adjacent to the frontline.

Armenia’s direct and deliberate attacks against the Azerbaijani civilian population and civilian objects, constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, in particular the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol I thereto, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

After the visit of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to the region, when Co-Chairs and the international organizations call for changing the status quo of occupation by substantive and serious negotiations, Armenia resorts to base and nefarious provocations aimed at deliberate and targeted killing of civilians, including children.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly brought to the attention of the international community that the primary reason of the tension and incidents in the frontline and major impediment to the resolution of the conflict is the unlawful presence of the armed forces of Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Response of Armenia’s political-military leadership to the calls of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the international organizations to re-engage in substantive talks for resolution of the conflict by brutal killing and wounding of civilians once again demonstrates the necessity that the Co-Chairs must demand from Armenia to withdraw its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in accordance with the norms and principles of international law and relevant decisions and resolutions of the international organizations and change the status quo of occupation.

The responsibility for the current situation completely falls on the political-military leadership of Armenia.